Farming Smarter first took part in Open Farm Days in 2016 and its event grows each year. Farming Smarter has the location, space and partners to host a large number of people and give them a taste of agricultural diversity.
In 2020, our Open Farm Days event had about 30 booths, two scheduled crop tours and almost 200 visitors; which reflects the impact of covid-19 on people’s willingness to attend events. A typical year sees around 350 people come to our event.
The fact that Farming Smarter attracts a sizeable, and growing, crowd each year emphasizes the desire the public has to learn about agriculture and support local food production. Of course, we make sure the day is fun for all ages.
We also make sure that we invite local farmers, businesses and non-profit organizations to come showcase the diversity in agriculture operations, industry jobs and learning opportunities.
In 2020, we spent a couple of minutes at each booth with a videographer and produced this series to highlight that diversity.
Provincial Inititative
Alberta Open Farm Days began in 2012 following the example spreading west from the Maritimes. The idea is to give the public an opportunity to visit a farm and have first-hand experiences that deepen their understanding of food production. It’s a 2-day event each August with Saturday devoted to farm tours and Sunday devoted to local food dining experiences.
Come visit us on the east side of Lethbridge Aug. 14, 2021 Watch this post for updates as they become available.